Apparatus for the concentration of minerals by means of oil.



PATENTED JUNE 1A, 1904.? J. W. VAN METER E M. P. Boss. A APPARATUS EORTRE CONCENTRATION OE MINERALS RY. MEANS OE OIL.

APPLICATION FILED AUG, 19. 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

EPEE-l PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904.

J..W. .VAN METER & M. P. BOSS.

' APPARATUS FOR THE CONGENTRATION OF MINERALS BY MEANS 0F OIL.

APPLIGATION FILFA? AUG.19. 1903.

` No MODEL.. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i UNITED STATES Patented'June 14, 1904.

PATENT EETEE.

JAMES IV. VAN METER AND MARTINP. BOSS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR THE CONCENTRATION F MINERALS BY MEANS 0F OIL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,774, dated June 14,1904.

Application filed August 19, 1903.

,To all wil/0711, t may concern.-

Bc it known that we, .IAMEs W. VAN METER and MARTIN Boss, citizens ofthe United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco,State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Apparatus for the Concentration of Minerals by Means ot Oil; and wedo hereby declare the A following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same. n

Our invention relates to that class of apparatus in which a separationof the precious minerals from the pulp is obtained by means of oilthrough which the pulp passes. Crude oil is usually employed for thispurpose, and after the oil has become charged with mineral a separationof the minerals from the oil is made in a centrifugal machine in amanner well known.

Our invention seeks to materially'improve the separation of the mineralfrom the pulp, by means of the oil, by providing an apparatus which, inaddition to presenting several details of improved construction andarrangement, is capable of having a continuous operation carried on init without appreciable loss, as the oil is returned to the circulationfor use again.

Our invention consists in the apparatus in general and in its details ofconstruction, arrangement, and combination, which we shall know describeby reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a sideelevation, partly in longitudinal section, of our apparatus. Fig. 2 is adetail elevation of the nal vessel of the series, together with theseparating discharge vessel B. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail of therotary distributer F. Fig. 4 is a detail elevation of the sleeve f ofthe rotary joint of the distributer. Fig. 5 is a top plan of ourapparatus. Fig. 6 is a section of one of the minor vessels oi' theseries.

A is the main vessel at the head of the series of vessels which togetherform the channel through which the oil during its functional courseflows. This vessel may be of any suitable type; but in practice it is aspitzhead vessel.

kasten. The remainder of the series ofves- Serial Ilm-169,987. (Nomodel.)

v sels forming the said channel are also best shaped as spitzkastens,and there may be as many of these as may be desired. I/Ve have hereshown three, A', A2, and'As. All these spitzkastens are united to form acontinuous channel, the upper portion of A communicating with A, and Awith A2, and A2 with A3, the communication in each case being throughlarge openingsin thesides of the upper portions of each. Thespitzkastens A', A2, and A3 are smaller than the head spitzkasten A, andwhile this is not essential it is best in practice, as the greater partof the separation and discharge of the gangue take place in the Eachspitzkasten has a bottom discharge-opening at a, which is controlled bya suitable gate or cock a.

" To the .end or foot spitzkasten A3 is bolted the separating discharge,which consists of a vessel B, communicating directly with the.

upper portion of said spitzkasten and having an end wall terminatingshort of the top to leave an upper opening at b and terminating short ofthe bottom to leave a lower opening at b2. The upper openingcommunicates with an extension or pan b3, fromwhich a pipe C extendsdownwardly. The lower opening communicates with a trough b4, whichconnects with a second trough D.

The pipe C leads down to a pump E, from which a pipe e returns under theshorter spitzkastens to the lower portion of the main spitzkasten A,which it enters 'and terminates in the vertical axis of the same. .Uponthis upturned end of pipe e is mounted rotatably the duplex distributer,(designated as a whole by F.) This consists of a stem portion f,surmounted by a hub divided by a horizontal partition into anoil-chamber f', which communicates with the stem f, and a pulp-chamberf2, in the top of which is an opening f3, through which the pulp is fedfrom any suitable source.

' Each hub-chamber has oppositely-extendeffect a rotary motion of thewhole distributer. This distributer may have any suitable bearing. Theconstruction here shown consists of a sleeve f, screwed to the top ofpipe e and bearing on its own top the hub of the distributer. In thissleeve are slots f7, which are so disposed relatively to the base of thestem f that if said stem rises too high they will be partly exposed, fora purpose we shall hereinafter mention. The distributer lies high up inthe spitzkasten, and it will be observed that its diameter is relativelysmall Ato to that of the vessel, so that the distribution of iltscontents is central rather than periphera G is a centrifugal separator,the special construction of the interior of which forms no part of ourpresent invention, and it will therefore be sufcient to say that it is aseparator of that well-known class which by reason of interior rotatingdevices effects a separation of the constituents of liquids ac-` cordingto their specific gravities. The trough D, heretofore mentioned, leadsto and is so disposed as to discharge its contents into the centrifugalG. From this separator issues a pipe g, which leads to a pump g, fromwhich a pipe g2 leads up to and is adapted toy discharge its contentsinto the open top of the extension or pan b3 of the separating dischargevessel B, directly over the pipe C. Another pipe g3 also issues from thecentrifugal G and leads to a tank H, from which a pump I takes itscontents and delivers it by a pipe g* to the final spitzkasten A3,approximately on the level of the base of the separating dischargevessel B, as shown. Upon this same level there enter into thespitzkastens A' and A? pipes J, which are to connect with a sou ree ofwater-supply.

The foregoing is sufficient. to give an understanding of the use of ourapparatus, a description o f which we shall now make and shall thendescribe further details of construction necessary to its perfectoperation. y

The entire channel formed by the series of spitzkastens is firstsupplied with oil from any source andat any point.- Then the pulp, withwater, is supplied to the pulp-chamber of distributer F. Issuing fromthis, the pressure causes the distributer to rotate, and thus to throwout the pulp and water into the main or-head spitzkasten. The liquid in'this vessel is thereby given a rotary movement, due to the dischargingstreams of pulp and water. The pulp and water sink through the oil inthe main spitzkasten and the mineral constituents of the pulp arelcaught by said oil. The centrifugal motion in the body of liquid throwsthe pulp outwardly to the walls of the vessel and by contact therewiththe separation of the pulp is facilitated. The gangue th us separatedfrom the mineral and the water pass off, in greater part, through thebottom discharge of the spitzkasten A. What remains, however, both ofgangue and water flows radially or outwardly into spitzkasten A and inthis a portion of both settles and is drawn off from its bottomdischarge; but to replace the water thus switched out of thecirculation, as it were, and to furnish a bed for the oil to flow onfresh water is admitted to said spitzkasten A' through the pipe J.Meanwhile some of the gangue and water pass over into the nextspitzkasten A2, wherein the operation is repeated, and likewise in thefoot or final spitzkasten A3. During this course the oil itself isflowing on in the channel and is being gradually relieved of the gangue.Now it is obvious that by the time the mineral-enriched oil reaches theend ofthe channel and passes beyond its supporting-bed of water into theseparating discharge vessel B it will be composed of two portions-one, arelatively lower portion, rich in mineral, (for being heavier it will bebelow) and the other, a relatively upper portion, comparatively free ofmineral-and this condition,which has been growing from the head of thechannel, becomes the most pronounced at the foot of said channel. Atthis point we make a separation of the relatively poorer upper portionof the oil from the relatively richer lower portion by skimming 'od theformer over the upper end of the wall b through the top opening and byletting the latter out through the lower opening 722 under the wall. Theoil, poor in or free from mineral, passes into extension or pan b3 anddown through pipe C, andby the pump E is returned through the pipe e tothe oil-chamber f of the distributer F. From this chamber the oil isdischarged bythe rotary distributer to mix again with the pulp and waterin spitzkasten A and togo through its course once more. The oil, rich inmineral, which passes through opening b3 is conveyed by troughs b4 and Dto the centrifugal separator G. In this the minerals, together with thewater supplied to the centrifugal, are thrown from the oil and pass offthrough pipe g3 to the tank H, wherein the minerals settle, while thewater is sent by pump I and pipe g" to the spitzkasten A3. The oil nowfreed from minerals passes from the centrifugal by the pipe gto pump g',by which, through the pipe g2, it is returned to the circulation bybeing delivered into the extension or pan 3 and pip`e C.

It will thus be seen that there is a flowing or traveling body of oilwhich during its course is divested of the gangue and water which weredistributed to it at its head, and that also vthat the relatively upperand lower levels of said body of oil become more and more differentiatedwith respect to their mineral bearing, and that at the end ofthefunctional course a separation is made between the two levels, the upperbeing at once returned to the circulation, while the lower is subjectedto a separation of its minerals and then is returned to the circulation,It will also be seen that IOO IIO

during this ilow or travel of the oil and during the travel of thegangue and water the latter are disposed of by switching them outsuccesively and replacing the water with fresh water, thereby reducingthe volume of gangue in rapidly-increasing percentages. Finally, it willbe noted that by distributing the pulp, water, and oil centrally insteadof peripherally the centrifugal force in the rotating volume of liquidis taken advantage of to facilitate the precipitation of the gangue bycontact with the vessels sides. This, `together with the lateralextension of the channel, enables all the vessels ofthe apparatus,andespecially the main spitzliasten, to be constructed individually on asmall scale, avery decided advantage in practical experience.

Some details of construction'must now be noticed. In order toautomatically control the discharge of the relatively lower level of theoil rich in mineral through the opening Z22, we provide acontrolling-gate K. This is carried by a stem In, rising to a cross-headc, they ends of which are connected with floats [c2 in exterior vessels743, which-communicate by a pipe l# with the final spitzkasten A3 at orbelow the waterlevel therein. the water-level rises the floats will liftthe gate, and thus increase the opening b2 to take the oil.

In this way the required capacity of discharge is controlled.

In order to control within bounds the water'- level, we have anoverflow-pipe L connected with the final spitzlrasten A3 and rising tothe level desired, the upper end being in a suitable trough Z to catchand dispose of the overiiow. It is found of advantage in separation toraisel the temperature of the oil. This we do by means of a steam-coil Min the trough 1, and this heat is` of further advantage in providing forthe return of heated water from the separator Gr to the lastspitzkasten. The object of the slots f7 in the sleeve f is this:

The pressure under which the oil is returned from pump Ewill tend tolift the distributer F from its bearing on the sleeve-top, therebyreducing the friction of revolution on said bearing; but if the pressurebe too great andl the distributer tends to lift too far relief isafforded by the lower end of the stem of the distributer exposing saidslots.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-q l. An apparatus for concentratingminerals by means of oil, comprising a channel through which the oilflows, means for supplying pulp and water to the oil at the head of saidchannel,mcans in said channel at intervals for drawing off the settledgangue and water, means at the foot of said channel for separating therelatively upper and lower portions `of the Now if- If the water-levellowers, the gate' will descend, and thus contract the opening.I-

oil, and means for returning said separated upper portion of oil to thehead of the channel. 2. An apparatus for concentrating minerals by meansof oil,comprising achannel through.

which the oil flows, means for supplying pulp' and water to the oil atthe head of said chan-1 nel, means in said channel, at intervals, for.dra-wlng off the settled gangue and water,

means, at intervals, for supplying fresh water' to replace the waterdrawn off, and meansl at the foot of said channel for separating thefoot of said channel for separating'the rela-` tively upper and lowerportionsof the oil,

and means for returning said upper portio of the oil to the head of thechannel.

4. An apparatus for concentrating minerals by means of oil, comprisingachannel through which the oil flows, means for supplying pulp and waterto the oil at the head of said channel, means at the foot of saidchannel for sep-y arating the relatively upper and lower portions of theo'il, means for separating the mineralsY from the lower portion of theoil, 'and means for returning both the oil thus separated fromthe'mineral and the upper portion of the oil which is separated from thelower at the foot' of the channel, to the head of said channel,

to reenter the circulation.

5. An apparatus for concentrating minerals by means of oil, comprising aseries of communicating vessels, each vessel having a discharge belowfor the water and gangue, means for supplying oil and pulp and water ,tothe iirst vessel of the series, and means at the end' of said series forseparating the relatively upper and lower portions of the oil`consisting of a terminal wall in the path of the oil, said wall havingseparate openings above and below.

6. An apparatus for concentrating minerals by means of oil, comprising aseries of communicating vessels, each vessel having a discharge belowfor the water and gangue, means IOO IIO

for supplying oil and pulp and water to the lirst vessel of the series,means at the end of said series for separating the relatively upper andlower portionsl of Athe oil consisting of aterminal wall in the path ofthe oil, said wall having separate openings above and below, and meanscontrolled by the water-level in the vessels for controlling the loweropening.

7. An apparatus for concentrating minerals4 by means of oil, comprisinga series of com-v municating vessels, each vessel having a dischargebelow for the water andgangue, means for supplying oil and pulp andwater to the first vessel of the series, means at the end of said seriesfor separating the relatively upper and lower portions of the oil, andmeans for returning the separated upper portion of the oil to the firstvessel.

8. An apparatus for concentrating minerals by means of oil, comprising aseries of corn-v municating vessels, each vessel having a dischargebelow for thev water and gangue, means for supplying oil and pulp andwater to the first vessel of the series, means at the end of said seriesfor separating the relatively upper and lower portions of the oil, meansfor returning the upper portion of the oil to the iirst vessel, meansforseparating the minerals from the lower portion of the oil, and meansfor returning said lower oil, when separated, to the iirst vessel.

9. In an apparatus for concentrating minerals by means of oil, thecombination with a series of communicating vessels having separateoutlets below, and means for maintaining a water-bed in said vessels tosupport the oil in its course, of a head vessel having a discharge belowfor the water and gangue, of a rotary distributer for supplying oil,water and pulp to said vessel, said distributer being disposed in theupper part of the vessel and arranged to discharge relatively near theaxis of the vessel, whereby the rotary movement of the contents inducedby the distribution of the material will tend to throw the pulpoutwardly against the walls of the vessel and facilitate the separationof the gangue.

l0. An apparatus of the class described comprisin g a series ofcommunicating vessels, each having a discharge below for the water andgangue, a two-compartment rotary distributer in the first vessel, saiddistributer having an opening above into its upper compartment for thepulp and water, and a stem below communicating with its lowercompartment, means at the end of the series of vessels for separatingthe relatively upper and lower portions of the oil, and a pipe throughwhich the upper oil is returned, said pipe entering the first vessel andcommunicating with the lower cornpartment of the distributer whereby theoil is returned to said first vessel.

l1. An apparatus of the class described comprisinga series ofcommunicating vessels, each having a discharge below for the water andgangue, a two-compartment rotary distributer in the first vessel, saiddistributer having an opening above into its upper compartment for thepulp and water, and a stem below communicating with its lowercompartment, means at the end of the series of vessels for separatingthe relatively upper and lower portions of the oil, a pipe through whichthe upper oil is returned, said pipe entering the first vessel andcommunicating with the lower compartment of the distributer whereby theoil is returned to said. iirst vessel, and a rotary bearing between saidpipe and the distributer, consisting of the slotted sleeve encirclingthe stem of the distributer.

12. An apparatus of the class described comprising the series ofcommunicating vessels, each having a bottom discharge for the water andgangue, a distributer ,for oil, pulp and water in the rst vessel, aterminal wall disposed in the path of the oil beyond the last vesselsaid wall having upper and lower openings for separating the relativelyupper and lower portions of the oil, means for separating the mineralsfrom the lower portion of the oil, means for returning both themineralseparated oil, and said upper oil to the distributer of the iirstvessel, and water connections to the vessels succeeding the first, forreplacing with fresh water the water drawn olf.

In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

JAMES W. VAN METER. MARTIN P. BOSS. Witnesses:

WALTER F. VANE, D. B. RICHARDS.

